Sky's the Limit
by The Fog Alchemist
Summary: The war with they Abyssal Fleet has hit a stand still. To force it forward, former naval aviator Kazuki Chiba is pulled in to command a small squad of Fleet Girls. Sending them on stealth missions in an attempt to find a way to end the stalemate and the war; this squad must learn to work together. Especially as everything they know comes crashing down around them.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Prologue**

Sendai kept her eyes focused on the dark ocean in front of her. Although it didn't seem like they had been detected, she couldn't be so sure that her squad hadn't set off some sort of alarm. Rarely were the Fleet Girls sent this far into Abyssal territory, but this time was a different matter.

Admiral Sakata needed the information on the numbers that had been amassed, and so Sendai's team had been sent out. Taking a quick glance over her shoulder, she made sure that the others were still following. Tenryuu, Yahagi, Murakumo and Isokaze were following closely behind her while Shioi had been left back at the base.

This wasn't a combat operation. It was quick in and out. Scope the area and then leave. One of the more common mission types that the girls were sent out on. Although they were intended to be dealing with larger threats, their admiral had a tendency to send them on recon missions. Having proven that they were a swift and silent unit, they tended to get assigned these tasks.

Taking a breath, Sendai calmed her bubbling nerves. There was no need to be getting worked up. She had done this plenty of times before; including when the squad could barely tolerate one another. They always made it out without any casualties and only minimal damage, so she didn't expect this one to be any different. Even now, her squad mates were talking to one another as they made their way forward.

"Fury Leader, what's your ETA?" a male voice crackled to life over her headset.

"We are four kilometres from our destination," Sendai answered. "Arrival should be within the next five minutes."

A confirmation was given, and the headset once again went silent. The squad's commanding officer, Kazuki Chiba, was a recent addition to their fleet; having been pulled in specifically to orchestrate these missions. And he was doing the best that he could with the resources he had been given. At least that was what she thought.

The flagship of the Fury Squad, she would never have been given this opportunity while fighting alongside her sisters and she refused to waste it. Keeping a close watch, she was certain that tonight would be another successful operation. However, it would not do to forget that they were in enemy territory. It was always possible that the Abyssal ships were also out and about.

"Sendai, I think we should slow down," Isokaze called out from the rear of the line. "My radar is picking up two Nu-class ships ten kilometres west."

"What?" Sendai yelled. "Did they just show up?"

"Yes," Isokaze replied. "Now there's a Wo-class among them and three more Nu-class."

Sendai felt panic start to rise up. They were well aware of the fact that there was a possibility of being caught in an attack, but it wasn't very high. The planned route that they were supposed to take only had them passing close enough for Isokaze's radar to get a reading on the enemy. It wasn't supposed to get them this close to danger.

"How long do we have till they reach our position?" Tenryuu asked.

"Ten minutes at most. Do you think Hamakaze will be alright if I don't make it back?" Isokaze responded.

"Shut up about your girlfriend," Tenryuu growled. "We need to prepare an offensive, right Sendai?"

Sendai tried to calm her breathing. She wasn't prepared for this. Her mission parameters didn't account for this. If Jintsuu were there, she would be more ready to adjust. Should she just give over command to Tenryuu? What should she do?

"…ordering a full retreat," her CO's voice crackled back to life through her headset. "All units return to base. You're not equipped to fight them. I'll get the admiral to send a fleet to fend them off."

But that wouldn't be quick enough, Sendai thought. What could she do to help? The night was her specialty. She couldn't just freeze up at such an important moment. This wasn't an unusual scenario. They always tended to have to skirt around Abyssal ships when they performed recon. But never was it a force of that size.

Eight ships were more than they could handle. Sendai knew that, she was certain that the others knew it as well. And they had left Shioi back at base. Without their submarine, they were definitely in more trouble. Shioi was best at striking hard before the rest of them got involved. After, she would retreat and the others would take over. But they didn't even have that option.

"I said full retreat," her CO's voice was more irritated than it had been.

Swallowing nervously, Sendai looked at her squad mates. She couldn't find her voice, her heart was pounding inside her chest fiercer than she had ever experienced. Staring out in the direction of their approaching foes, she tried to figure out what call she would make.

"…full retreat!"

Her CO was no longer calm in any fashion. He was yelling now, and Sendai finally managed to focus. She couldn't be panicking in this situation. She needed to be an example to her fellows: a leader.

"Full retreat," she said. "Tenryuu take the rear, we need you to be our defence as we leave."

"Roger," Tenryuu said, skating into position.

The others fell into line between Tenryuu and Sendai, and they were off. Although they still squabbled at base, when it came to missions they were becoming a well-oiled machine. Moving quicker than they had before, the quintet of girls was trying to put as much distance between them and the Abyssal ships as possible.

"What's the plan?" Yahagi asked from behind. "They'll catch up sooner or later."

"Just keep moving," their CO's voice cut in. "I've got Admiral Sakata sending a squad to bail you out. It looks like our 'secret operations' are going to be blown wide open tonight."

A humourless chuckle resounded through Sendai's ears as her CO continued.

"Make sure to keep each other afloat. I don't want any losses tonight."

"Aye-aye sir," the five girls said in unison.

Sendai was certain that they would be able to achieve their CO's directive. But she was still worried. If the Abyssal ships managed to get close enough, they would be put under fire by their aerial attacks. It would make the retreat more difficult, and it would force them to fight back; effectively slowing down the whole process.

Pushing the thought to the side, she decided to focus on going back the way that they had come. There was no need to focus so much on the what-ifs. Isokaze was keeping her radar going, making sure to alert the others when anything seemed to come too close.

"Shit, we've got another one approaching from the east," Tenryuu called out.

Looking in the direction that Tenryuu had indicated, Sendai felt her heart stop. A Ta-class Elite battleship was coming after them. Eyes widening, she started to breathe in and out. By the time that she was conscious of her reaction, she was hyperventilating.

They were all going to die; sunk far away from home and the rest of their friends and family. Very few prepared battleships and cruisers managed to come back from a fight with an elite Ta-class. The fact that they were only a stealth force, less heavily armed than other forces for the sake of speed, was not going to be beneficial to any conflict they would encounter.

"Remember our training. Get into defensive formation," Tenryuu called out, as Sendai struggled to regain her composure.

Continuing to panic, she tried to think about what formation the defensive one was. Pulling a blank, she decided to just move into one of the positions she could remember.

"Sendai, don't go over there," she vaguely heard someone call out. "You're too easy a target."

Before she could respond, an explosion burst the water in front of her, sending her spiraling backwards. Head smashing into the cold liquid, she felt her lungs fill as she accidentally breathed in. Pulling herself up, coughing and spluttering, she tried to find the rest of her squad. Unable to see them, she switched her attention to the Ta-class.

Watching the battleship closely, Sendai forced herself back to her feet. Mentally going over the resources she had on hand, ammunition primarily, she readied her cannon and torpedoes. She was unsure of what she was doing, but some part of her was certain that she should stand and fight. It wasn't the wisest idea, the Ta-class was definitely more powerful than she was – and better equipped. However, Sendai refused to back down.

With a fleet of ships already on their way to come and assist them, she was certain that any damage she managed to inflict would be able to help the others when they showed up. Her CO was undoubtedly relaying the information back to Admiral Sakata, and the best of the best were being prepared to head out to the aid of the others.

Sendai wasn't going to make it out of this. This she was certain of. Her fate was sealed. Taking a deep breath, finally finishing reorienting herself, Sendai stared down her foe. Vaguely aware that she still had the Wo-class and Nus approaching, she got into position. It was now or never, she would do some damage for sure.

Screaming, she raced towards the Ta-class. Raising her arm, cannons shifting to focus on her foe, Sendai fired.

End Prologue

**A/N: And so here starts my first foray into the KanColle fandom. It's been a while since I posted any new stories, and with the launch of the KanColle anime I thought this would be the best time to start up a story of my own. **

**It's going to be a bit different than the usual takes on the franchise, and will definitely vary from the anime itself. So, I hope it turns out to be an enjoyable experience. Until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 1**

_3 Months Earlier_

"Mr. Chiba, we've got a message for you."

Pushing his silver locks out of his face, all the while staring blankly at the two uniformed men outside his apartment's door, Kazuki was tempted to turn around and go back to bed. It was too early in the day for him to be dealing with these sorts of people. He had quit to get away from them; not to be harassed the first free day he had managed to get.

"Mr. Chiba, we've been sent from Navy HQ to deliver this message," the shorter of the two men said.

Now Kazuki really wanted to just shut the door and go back to bed. His hands were already tightening around the doorknob, waiting for the perfect moment to slam it shut and pretend they never showed up. The two men seemed to notice this, as an envelope was swiftly produced from the taller one's pockets.

Recognizing the handwriting on the envelope, Kazuki sighed. There was no way he could turn them away now. Although, he was certain that they would be pissed to find out that their admiral had sent them as personal delivery boys. It could turn out to be the best form of revenge he could get for being woken up.

Grinning wickedly, he opened his door wider. Beckoning for the two men to come in, he settled down at the small table in his dining room. He was paid well enough to keep a decent apartment. A bedroom, dining room and living room cross, and a single bathroom made up the area. It was small, but not uncomfortable. As the only one living there, he didn't need too much space. If he took any more, it would start to become overwhelming.

"You two do know that Kenichi tricked you," he said once they had taken their own seats.

"Admiral Sakata requested you specifically, but this is not a directive from him," the shorter of the two said. "This is a directive from Navy HQ. They want to speak with you."

"They want to speak with me? Have they finally decided to reinstate us pilots?" Kazuki asked. "If not, then I have no reason to speak with them."

Leaning back in his chair, he watched the two men; awaiting a response. None came as they remained seated, their backs stiff, as they waited on him. Shooting a glare at the two of them, he looked back at the envelope in his hands. Placing his finger under the seal, he quickly tore it open.

Pulling the letter inside out, he skimmed over it. His eyes narrowed as he finished. There was no way that this offer was real.

"You're here to take me to Kenichi's base, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes sir."

Glaring at the two men, he stood up abruptly. To his satisfaction, his sudden movement startled the taller of the two men.

"Then let's get going."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The car sped down the coastline, the road leading to the base covered in sand from the torrential storm that had raged a few days earlier. Kazuki was glad that they had managed to avoid the poor weather. He never liked being out on the ocean in a storm, although he was proud to say that he had survived two ferocious storms at sea during his service.

Even though they had left immediately, the ban on flight, unless absolutely necessary, had made the trip longer then he had wanted. Neither of the two navy officers, Kurosaki and Ichihara – he had found out – were eager to make conversation. Granted, he wasn't either; but, not knowing what sort of situation he was headed into was terrifying.

He was jokingly referred to as the "man-with-a-plan" when aboard the Junko. An armored carrier, the Junko was meant to take a ton of punishment; all while protecting the planes and pilots aboard. It had lasted for thirty minutes in the first fight against the Abyssal Fleet, before being blown to smithereens. Kazuki had been in the air at that point. It was the only thing that had saved his life. Even then, he had been shot down. If it wasn't for the timely arrival of the first Fleet Girls he would have died.

Soon after, he was stripped of his wings and "promoted" to desk duty. It was a position that Kazuki hated with every fibre of his being. He couldn't stand sitting behind a desk and going through report after report.

It was why he had accepted talking to Kenichi. Despite his misgivings about the lack of information he had on his current position, Kazuki wanted nothing more than to be back in the air. If whatever Kenichi needed him to do would get him back his wings, then he would do it.

"We're just about there," the driver called back.

Looking out his window, Kazuki's breath escaped him as he took in the sight of the base. Spanning along the coast for as far as he could see, the base was larger than any he had served on before. It was almost a full on city. Forcing his jaw shut, he tried to regain his composure as they made their way past the numerous girls and officers wandering the grounds.

The base was full of life. And while that wasn't really unusual, the sheer number of people was. He had not seen so many people on a base like this in years. Having travelled to a few of the northern bases, as part of his work, he had seen places that could almost be classified as ghost towns.

There was not much up north any longer. As the news about the war had died down, so too had the number of ships assigned to the northern reaches of the country. The southern and eastern bases were being fortified a lot more, as the war shifted away from the north. It had led to numerous admirals being put in charge of a larger force than they had started with. From the looks of it, Kenichi was one of those.

Coming to a stop in front of the base's main building, Kazuki found it hard to withhold a grin as he saw his friend. As soon as the officers were out of the car, he practically leapt out of the vehicle. Despite his misgivings, seeing Kenichi again was worth it.

The two were as close as brothers, but in the time since the sinking of the Junko, they hadn't seen each other much. Kenichi's rank had placed him on the shortlist to head up a base, while Kazuki went elsewhere.

"Kazuki, it's great to see you," Kenichi said with a grin.

A few inches taller than Kazuki, Kenichi looked like a true professional in his admiral uniform. The white jacket and pants contrasted nicely with his tanned skin, brown eyes and short cut black hair. Clean shaven, he looked as if he hadn't aged a day since the last time they had spoken in person. It was surreal, yet pleasant. A sense of familiarity that Kazuki knew he could work with.

"It really is," he replied to Kenichi.

Giving his friend a one armed hug, Kazuki took note of the dark haired woman standing slightly to the side; a pensive look upon her face. Releasing Kenichi, he turned his full attention to her.

"Hello, I'm Kazuki Chiba," he said; extending his hand in greeting.

"Nagato," the woman said, shaking his hand. "I'm Admiral Sakata's secretary ship, and the head of day-to-day operations on the base."

"A pleasure to meet you Ms. Nagato," Kazuki said, putting on his best smile.

"Likewise," she replied. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll take you and Admiral Sakata to his office where you can speak in private."

Beckoning for them to follow, Kazuki fell into step behind the woman, Kenichi following close behind them. It was a short walk through the base's main building. However, Kazuki was able to take in the simplicity of its design.

Some of the bases he had been on when the war had been at its fiercest, in the north, had been lavish affairs. Decorations marred the walls; ornate architecture decorated almost every facet; and the money that was poured into them was evident with every step that one would take. Here, Kazuki found that Kenichi had kept things from becoming garish. The walls were plain, but clean. There were no horrid decorations upon every open space, instead there were more windows than the other bases he had been in, and the layout was nowhere near as labyrinthine as the others.

Kazuki would have applauded if he had felt it appropriate. It was good to see that command hadn't gone to his friend's head; although, the woman leading them towards Kenichi's office led to a different topic. He had heard her name in passing, the news was always up to date on the most important battles to occur, but he had never seen her before: Nagato.

Based upon the World War II battleship, her equipment was some of the best among the fleets. She had also managed to earn numerous accolades for her actions during the battle at Iwo Jima, which seemed to have led to her current position; Kenichi's secretary ship.

From what he could tell, a secretary ship relayed the orders that the admiral gave, as well as managed the day-to-day activities of the Fleet Girls. However, Kazuki was certain that there was more to the job than what he was able to immediately see. Nagato didn't seem like an average secretary, and he doubted that she would be anything like one.

The way she walked, back straight and eyes focused forward, indicated a high level of professionalism. If he were to choose some way of describing her, he'd probably say that, if it wasn't for the information he had on her from the news, she was someone with a stick up her ass. However, there was gentleness in the way that she acted – even in the few moments that he had been around her – that prevented that from being an accurate description.

Shaking his head, Kazuki pushed the thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to be reflecting on women. He was here to find out how he could get his wings back. Whatever Kenichi needed him to do, if it could genuinely get him transferred from the navy and into the air force, he would do it.

"Just in here," Nagato said, stopping their progression.

Standing outside of an old-looking wood door, Kenichi walked right past Kazuki and into the room. Taking it that this was his office, Kazuki followed after his friend. Nagato stepped inside after him, closing the door behind her.

This seemed like a normal occurrence for the two of them, as Kenichi didn't say anything about it. Instead, he went to a cabinet at the back of the office and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the shelf.

"Would you care for a drink?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll take a drink" Kazuki replied. "Still hate sake I'm assuming."

"Stuff tastes nasty; I make no apologies about not drinking it. You should see the poor plants that I've killed, dumping my drink on them whenever we have one of those Admiral's Banquets," Kenichi said.

Expertly pouring the whiskey into three glasses, Kenichi set them down on the table in the center of the office and beckoned for Kazuki to sit.

Taking a seat, Kazuki watched as Nagato and Kenichi settled down quite closely to one another. So, the two of them were closer than he had expected. Not that it was totally unusual. Working with some of the other admirals at their bases, he had seen more than enough sexual situations between the Fleet Girls and the admirals to know that it was definitely not uncommon or unusual.

Healthy men and women would always start to look for companionship during long campaigns, or so he had been told. Kazuki was inclined to believe the claim, although he wouldn't fault his friend for falling for his secretary ship. Nagato had a classic beauty to her. Long dark hair, a slim, yet athletic build and heart shaped face were definitely alluring, but it was the way that her eyes communicated her emotions that really stood out. It looked like you could see the forefront emotions that she was feeling, just by looking into her reddish-brown orbs.

She was unsure about him. That was what Kazuki was currently reading, and he couldn't blame her. He was an unknown factor to most of the southern fleets, having spent most of his time working alongside the northern forces. He prided himself on having a bit of a reputation up north, but even then he was a desk worker. However, he was not about to let the suspicious nature of a secretary ship ruin his chance to get out of the navy.

Taking a sip of his whiskey, he allowed the bitter drink to sit in his mouth for a moment. He needed a moment to collect himself, and it would be rude to not accept his host's hospitality. Swallowing, he felt it run down his throat; stinging pleasantly as it went down.

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" he asked, finally starting the conversation. "You told me that if I accomplish whatever task you needed me for, then I could get my wings back."

Kenichi put down his glass of whiskey. The room went silent for a few moments, before the admiral spoke up.

"I need you to become an officer in my fleet," he started.

"An officer? I thought they weren't taking any more applications for higher positions in the navy," Kazuki said.

"They're not. But I was able to bypass that little problem," Kenichi answered.

"Admiral Sakata specifically requested your expertise," Nagato said. "He pulled out all the stops so that he could get you on board. They were more interested in having an established officer step in for this role."

"I…see," Kazuki said.

He was still unsure of the situation; if he were being honest with himself he was less sure. There's always a catch. He had learned that early in his military career.

"Why were you so determined to get me on board?" Kazuki questioned.

His nerves were starting to get the better of him. Taking another sip of the whiskey, he tried his hardest to fight them down. It was starting to seem like he was going to end up at the forefront of some serious matter. If they had wanted established officers involved, he was definitely not going to like what this turned out to be.

"We need your brains on this," Kenichi answered. "Your tactical proficiency, adaptability in the field, and insight are traits that we need. We're at a stalemate in this war Kazuki. We need to break it."

"And that's why you wanted me; to break the stalemate?" Kazuki asked.

"Yes and no," Nagato interceded. "We need you to run the pretense of breaking the stalemate. However, what we actually need you for is an investigation."

Grabbing a map from off of one of the shelves, Nagato laid it out on the table. Stretching to each of the four corners, Kazuki needed to lift his glass to allow it to expand fully. Drawn in exquisite detail the map covered all of the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Sea of Japan and East China Sea; all areas where the Abyssal Fleet was known to be active.

"We want to investigate this island here," Kenichi said, pointing to an island close to Hawaii.

"And what's so special about that island?" Kazuki asked.

"We're not sure," Nagato said quickly. "All we know is that it's the last island that we've seen Abyssal Ships near. After that is nothing, but American waters. And there's been no activity from them."

"We want to know exactly what's going on," Kenichi continued. "And we want to find out quickly."

"Do you think it has something to do with the Abyssal Ships?" Kazuki asked.

"Yes we do," Kenichi answered. "And we need you to find out what."

Sighing, Kazuki ran his hand across his face before taking another sip of whiskey. He hadn't been part of an investigation in years; especially not something of this level. It was a momentous task, but the prize at the end would be worth it.

"You promise to get me transferred to the air force?" he asked.

"Of course," Kenichi answered. "A promise is a promise."

"Then where do we start?"

End Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so here's the first chapter for Sky's the Limit. A set-up heavy chapter, but it's one of the necessary ones that this story has. Next chapter will focus on Shioi, and give some more insight into the life of the subs on this base, but until then I hope that this chapter was an enjoyable start to the story. **

**Just to make sure that there's no confusion going forward, the story is going to be working to catch back up to the situation in the prologue. So, currently, we are three months prior to that and the rest of the chapters will remain prior to that event as they work to catch up. After it has caught up, things will move forward from that. So, I hope this chapter was enjoyable, and until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 2**

"All subs, prepare your torpedoes."

The instructor's voice startled Shioi back into reality. Daydreaming during her training, the young sub knew that she was flirting with trouble. The sub instructor, a mousy woman who was formerly a captain in the IJN, was fierce and bold in her instruction. She didn't tolerate distractions.

Distractions were the number one reason that subs were sunk, she had claimed. The crews, back before the Fleet Girls took over, needed to be capable of staying on alert for any situation. And in the absence of the crews, the girls needed to be on alert beyond the level of even a captain. It was why their instructor was so hard on them.

"I-401, have you prepared your torpedoes, or have you been daydreaming during my lesson?" the woman demanded, causing Shioi to blush.

"No ma'am, my torpedoes are loaded and ready," Shioi said, saluting as she did so.

Water splashed towards the other girls, and shocked squeals erupted among the group, eliciting a sigh from the instructor. Shioi felt her face burst into flame as the others started to giggle and laugh. Even though they were all subs, she was the outcast in the group. The only I-400 class to exist, she had no sister ships to spend time with. And when she spent time with the other ships, she felt like she as impeaching on something special that they had with one another.

The fact that Admiral Sakata had only sent her out twice – once on an expedition and once out to battle – hadn't helped her confidence either. She was left to just float about the base, aimless save for the times when one of the carriers or battleships needed her assistance. Even then, she didn't have much.

"Excuse me, are we interrupting anything Commander Matsuoka?" the admiral's voice broke into Shioi's thoughts, forcing her back to reality.

Looking at the other subs, she saw a wide mixture of excitement, blushes and girlish giggles hidden behind hands; the usual reactions to the admiral's presence. Shioi didn't see the appeal, but she felt a sense of awe whenever she was in the admiral's presence. He was an imposing figure for sure. Each of his decisions could determine the futures of innumerable lives.

"Not at all Admiral Sakata," the instructor said, saluting respectfully. "We were just about to go over our torpedo drills."

"Torpedo drills?" another male voice asked.

Turning around at the sound of the new voice, Shioi was taken aback to see another youthful man standing beside the admiral. It was an accepted fact that all the men on the base, other than the admiral, were horribly old and unappealing – except to those girls who had a thing for much, much older men – and that having someone who was just as youthful as the admiral was impossible.

This new man was well built, despite being shorter than the admiral, and had medium length silver hair that extended down to the middle of his neck. Narrow, violet eyes, thin lips and an angular face added to the cold handsomeness that he bore.

"And who might you be?" her instructor asked, looking affronted by the newcomer.

"This is Captain Kazuki Chiba, newly instated," the admiral said. "We're here because he wanted to see the submarines we had on base."

Shioi noticed that Matsuoka seemed to be getting tenser as the admiral spoke. It had been two years since the last new officer that they had received, and she had said that it was about time they stopped adding officers to their forces. To have a new one show up, and be specifically looking at the submarines seemed to be her last straw.

"And what right does he have to be here? He may outrank me, but these are my submarines," she said coolly.

Captain Chiba seemed to watch her closely, as if he was waiting for the moment to strike. His already narrow eyes narrowed further as he waited for a moment to speak. Matsuoka was also waiting to speak; possibly to cut off whoever started speaking first. But she never got a moment as Captain Chiba spoke up first, his voice terrifyingly cold.

"Commander Matsuoka, I'm not here to commandeer your whole unit. I'm here to determine whether one of the subs under your command would be a benefit to the operations I will be taking over. We are at war, and Admiral Sakata is still your superior officer; as am I. You will show respect or I will file a report against you," Captain Chiba said.

Matsuoka seemed to back off, as her tense posture loosened up. Instead, rage was bubbling underneath the surface. A rage that Shioi knew she had been on the receiving end of more than once. She wasn't the quickest sub, or the strongest – despite what the military records claimed she was – as her skills had yet to catch up to the older subs. Matsuoka knew that, and was even harder on her for that reason.

"Is there a problem Commander Matsuoka?"

Shioi released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Secretary Ship Nagato had shown up. Even though the admiral was the highest authority on the base, numerous Fleet Girls and officers challenged him on a constant basis. He was known to be different in his methods, and many didn't like them, but once Nagato got involved opinions changed real fast.

"Miss Nagato, I didn't see you there," Matsuoka panicked.

"Is there a problem commander?" Nagato asked again. "Or do we need to find a different officer to take over here for the day?"

"No… not at all!"

Matsuoka practically waved her hands, as if defending against an insect, as she tried to regain herself. Shioi giggled at the sight of the woman's actions. It wasn't often that she saw this, not since Commander Hiroshi transferred to a different base.

"Then, I do believe your superior officer was asking you a question," Nagato said.

"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am," Matsuoka said, saluting.

Watching her instructor turn to the new captain, Shioi stopped listening as an explanation of the drills they were about to perform was given. Instead, she tried to keep her eyes on the new captain, who was watching Matsuoka intently as she spoke; nodding every so often.

He seemed out of place on this base. That was Shioi's determination after a few moments. The way he held himself did not scream "officer" like the admiral, or even her instructor. He seemed to be relaxed in his posture, but unapproachable. Almost like the nobleman from the stories Shioi had read. Even in his black captain's uniform, he looked more ready to attend a ball than spend time here at the submarine training pool.

Blushing, she turned her head immediately as he looked in her direction. She hadn't expected to be caught watching, but wasn't surprised. It reminded her of her stories. The innocent girl would look over to the nobleman and be caught watching him. Add in the fact that he was smiling at her and she grew even more nervous.

"Alright you lot, the admiral and captain wish to see a demonstration of your skills. Everyone line up and get ready to go through the torpedo drills," Matsuoka called out.

Pulled out of her thoughts, Shioi fell into line behind the other subs; quickly checking to make sure that she had her torpedoes handy, she mentally readied herself for the drill. It was one of her best drills. But that didn't change Matsuoka's opinion of her. She was still chewed out for the littlest of things. It was frustrating, but Shioi refused to back down.

"I-401, you're up!"

Coming back to reality, Shioi swam to the starting position. Situating herself so that she had the most direct path she could imagine, the girl took a deep breath and dove beneath the water. Swimming swiftly past the obstacles placed into the water, she got into her final position.

'I'm doing it,' she thought, pleased with her performance so far.

Normally, Shioi would have swum into one of the obstacles, her mind drifting to other topics as she worked towards the targets. However, this time she managed to get there without any issue. As long as the torpedoes were fired on course, she wouldn't have to listen to Matsuoka chew her out again.

Setting her torpedo launchers into their correct position, she did a quick rundown of her systems. Feeling confident in her preparations, she situated herself as straight as possible. Firing, she watched as the torpedoes raced towards the target. To her dismay, they arced around it, only one of them even coming close to connecting.

Swimming back to the surface, she felt extremely disappointed. The one day that they had both the admiral, secretary and a new officer watching, she screwed up. It was just how her luck worked. And it was during her best drill.

Scowling as she broke the surface, Shioi swam over to the edge of the pool, climbing back onto dry land. Her instructor was immediately on her case, chewing her out over the pathetic performance she gave for the admiral and his secretary ship, conveniently leaving out the newly appointed captain. Looking over at the captain, she found that he was watching her closely.

"Commander Matsuoka, I'd like to speak with I-401. Is that all right with you?" he asked.

His voice was icy cold as he spoke, brokering no argument from her instructor. Not with the glares that Nagato was sending her direction.

"Yes sir," Matsuoka said, stepping away from Shioi's position.

Unable to hide it, the girl started to get nervous. It wasn't very often that she was singled out for anything other than a reprimanding by her instructor. And after her terrible performance in the drill, she was stunned that the captain wanted to speak with her.

Blushing wildly as he approached, she tried to stand up, but instead found her knees weak. Collapsing to the ground, she felt her face heat up even more – no doubt glowing like a lightbulb.

"I-401, or do you have a name you prefer to be called by?" Captain Chiba asked as he sat down beside her.

"Shioi," she said nervously.

"Shioi? That's a nice name; much better than being called by the unit number, eh?"

Nodding quickly, Shioi looked at his face. He was smiling gently at her as he spoke, easing some of the nerves she had built up.

"I hate being called that," she said suddenly, startling herself. "I prefer Shioi!"

The captain chuckled, and Shioi felt another wave of heat spread across her face. What was she doing? Was today the day that she specifically embarrassed herself with everything that she said and did? No answers came, and she was left floundering as the captain said something else. Unable to catch his words, she had to refocus herself – no more daydreaming today.

"Miss Shioi, are you listening?" the captain asked.

"No sir, sorry sir," she said quickly, practically jumping up to salute.

Her knees no longer feeling weak, she didn't have any reason to remain sitting on the edge of the pool. It felt better to stand, rather than sit anyway. The feeling of being a professional was reinforced when she was standing.

"No need to be so formal Miss Shioi. You're not in trouble with me," he said, picking himself up from the ground. "However, I do expect you to show up at the western docks at 21:00 hours tonight."

"Yes sir," she said.

A sigh escaped from the captain's lips, but he smiled at her again before turning back to the admiral and Nagato. The secretary ship bowed politely to Matsuoka as they headed away from the training area, leaving Shioi dumbfounded.

"W…what just happened?"

End Chapter 2

**A/N: And another chapter is complete. The second Fleet Girl centric chapter in the story, and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Shioi gets no attention from the fans, but I adore her and thought this would be the perfect place to get her some more screen time. Hopefully it was an enjoyable start to her character arc for this story. **

**There will be four primary points-of-view in this story. Shioi is one, Sendai is another, and then there's Kazuki and one more later on. All of them will hopefully manage to provide a strong piece and I'm excited to be going through all of these character arcs. **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed. Thanks to all of the follows and reviews. They're always nice to see in my inbox. So, until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 3**

Kazuki rubbed his face in frustration as they left the training ground for the Kagerou class destroyers. Upon reading the dossiers that Kenichi had provided him, he was certain that Shimakaze would be a perfect addition to the squad. A quick destroyer like her would do wonders under the constraints of stealth missions. What he received upon meeting her was quite different.

Instead of the professional he had expected, Shimakaze turned out to be a boisterous ball of energy. Practically bouncing off of the walls, the rabbit eared girl was certainly charming, but wasn't what he needed as part of the squad. She would prove to be a greater liability than an asset. It was a disappointment, but there were definitely more destroyers out there.

They had, after all, already recruited Isokaze. Granted, that had also been a frustration.

"What is with the destroyers on your base?" he asked Kenichi as they made their way to the classrooms.

"They're definitely a different bunch that's for sure," Kenichi chuckled. "But you get used to them quickly."

"You'd have to if you wanted to survive," Kazuki groused.

Although Isokaze had actually been quite willing to join, her desire to have Hamakaze join as well had led to a long and frustrating confrontation between Nagato and Isokaze over fleet construction. Kazuki had tried to sit out, after Commander Matsuoka and the submarines; he felt that Nagato had a good handle on these situations. However, he had still been pulled in. It was his personal squad that was being built, and he had final say.

If it weren't for the fact that he was already frustrated, Kazuki would have definitely applauded Isokaze's ability to outmaneuver Nagato in a conversation. However, he was frustrated and had no time for it. Putting his foot down, he knew that he would be facing an uphill battle with the girl come tonight. There was no doubt in his mind that she would struggle and gripe over the fact that her beloved Hamakaze wasn't joining them.

But that would be later. For now, he wanted to get the remaining four members of the fleet determined and assigned.

"Don't be such a sourpuss Kazuki," Kenichi said, breaking Kazuki's train of thought. "This base has to be more enjoyable than the last one you served on."

"You know that I served alongside Kyoko, right?" he replied.

"You mean Admiral Fujisaki?" Nagato cut in; her curiosity piqued.

"Yes, I forgot to mention that to you Nagato," Kenichi started. "He served alongside Admiral Fujisaki when she managed to force the war into a stalemate."

"Amazing," the Fleet Girl said, her attention turning to Kazuki.

Blushing under the look of awe that his friend's secretary was giving him, Kazuki scratched the back of his head; attempting to figure out how to respond.

"It wasn't much," he finally said, feeling really awkward now. "I was just her secretary when Taihou had to be launched. Other than that, I was on desk duty."

"And unofficially, he was her personal tactician," Kenichi said. "It's the reason I was so adamant that he help us here. He came up with the operation that ended the northern conflict."

"I didn't come up with it," Kazuki argued. "That was still Kyoko. I barely did anything on it, just ironed out a few of the positions."

He was blushing now, Kazuki was certain that his face would melt with how embarrassed he was getting. It was one thing to know that you played a major role in such a conflict; it was another to have someone talk about it like it was something amazing. He barely did anything.

"Anyway," he started up, turning all conversation away from his past. "I was wondering what destroyers were looking at next. I want to be more prepared than I was for the previous group."

Kenichi gave him a grin, before starting his explanation.

"The next group we're off to see is the Fubuki class. I'm certain you'll find the second destroyer you wanted there," he said. "They're… well they're a relatively calm bunch; although you do have to be wary of Murakumo. She's just as likely to kill you as she is to accept you. I swear she acts like a tsundere."

Kazuki let out a sigh. That was just perfect. First he had to go through one group of crazies. Next he had to go past an anime archetype. What was next a girl with chuunibyou?

"Wait… don't answer that."

"Don't answer what?" Kenichi asked, looking at him in confusion.

"Never mind," Kazuki waved them off.

Reaching the door to their destination, he took a deep breath for stepping inside. It was still weird to be walking around with the captain's bars on his uniform. The last time he had been in uniform was two years ago and at that point he didn't have any bars. He was practically a 'nobody' back then; at least in the eyes of those who mattered in the navy's leadership.

Stepping through, he held the door open for Kenichi and Nagato as they took the lead, leading him towards the specific classroom. Reaching the door, he waited for them to open it and enter. Following after, he took in the group inside.

Listening intently to their instructor, Haguro if Kazuki remembered correctly, were six Fleet Girls. Five of them shared similar appearances, which he was certain, would end up being a hassle when trying to tell them apart. One stood apart, however, as she switched attention from the class to those who had just entered. Her appearance was wildly different from the others, and, if Kazuki hadn't been alerted to the fact that these were all Fubuki Class Fleet Girls, would have assumed she was of a different class. Her long silver hair and vibrant orange eyes were in stark contrast to the dark haired and dark eyed girls that were also in the room.

"Miss Haguro," the girl said, her silver hair swaying as she turned her head. "The admiral is here."

Haguro stumbled over her words as she turned to face the three of them. Kazuki felt a desire to go over and tell her that it was alright, but he was well aware of the fact that he would only make it worse. When they were younger, Kenichi would tease him about the fact that his tone of voice tended to chill the souls of everyone he spoke to. As he got older, he came to believe it: mostly. There were certain people who weren't put off by him. He tended to treasure these people closely.

"W…welcome admiral, secretary ship," Haguro said, bowing as she spoke. "And who are you?"

"Captain Chiba, I've been newly appointed to this base," Kazuki said, shooting a quick glare at Kenichi to silence him. "I'm here to run operations that require a mix of ships and came by to observe your class, see if any of the destroyers here fit the requirements."

"Welcome Captain Chiba. By all means, come on in and sit down," Haguro said. "I'm currently teaching the Fubuki class of ships. There are many bright young girls here."

"I have no doubt," Kazuki said with a smile. "Thank you for your cooperation Miss Haguro."

Moving over to the far wall, he leaned against it as the class resumed. Nagato and Kenichi joined him at the wall soon after, the two of them just as focused on the destroyers as he was. While not the ideal method of observing this set of destroyers, Kazuki couldn't complain about the relaxed atmosphere. So far, no one was bouncing off the walls. He could genuinely appreciate that.

However, the fact that the silver haired destroyer was watching him closely was intriguing. Rather than focus on her lesson, she seemed more interested in his, or the admiral's, presence in the room. With the two of them standing side-by-side, Kazuki wasn't totally sure of who was the target of her attention. But she intrigued him.

"That's Murakumo," Nagato whispered to him from her place on Kenichi's other side. "She's one of our most skilled destroyers. She's been on the base since Ken…Admiral Sakata set up shop."

Kazuki nodded his head in understanding. Crossing his arms, he settled himself more comfortably against the wall. It sounded like speaking to Murakumo may be the best option. If she had more experience than the others, she may prove to be a tactically sound addition to the squad.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The class ended within an hour of their arrival, and Kazuki wanted nothing more than to leave the room. Sitting through Haguro's stuttering lecture had been an experience. Not one that he wanted to repeat anytime soon. She was definitely charming, but there was no doubt that her teaching… well it could use some work.

Stretching himself out, he stepped away from the wall and walked over to where Murakumo was preparing to head out. In hushed tones, he had spoken with Kenichi and Nagato about each of the destroyers. He didn't want to make a biased decision, but it seemed that most of the others were busy with other duties, and only Murakumo was a valid option.

"Now I'm being blocked by the same restrictions," he mused, thinking back to Isokaze. "It's quite ironic."

Shifting his thoughts, he didn't want to make her feel unappreciated when he spoke to her. She wouldn't be, as Kazuki found that the Fubuki class offered multiple skilled girls that would complement his squad. He just didn't want to field a squad full of destroyers.

Up north, he had seen the folly of numerous undertrained admirals deciding that the destroyers' torpedoes would be the best option for all situations. Not that he could completely fault them. When new admirals were only given access to destroyers, one started to rely heavily on them in the wrong situations.

He wanted a balance, a balance of lighter and faster ships than the battleships that dominated most battlefields. After all, he wasn't intending to fight in open warfare. Instead, he was meant to be performing covert operations. Ones that would rarely, if ever, end up in open warfare.

"Murakumo, may I speak with you," he said as he approached her.

"And why should I?" she asked, her voice a mixture of disinterest and haughtiness.

"Because he is an officer on this base, and your superior," Nagato cut in.

Kazuki was noticing that she had to do that more than he thought she would. But he was appreciative of the fact that nearly everyone bowed down when she spoke up. However, Murakumo didn't seem to react the same way.

"Oh? And what will the mighty battleship do if I don't?" she questioned. "You know you can't touch me. The admiral won't allow it."

Nagato's face flushed in anger, and Kazuki shot his friend a look to see what Kenichi was up to. To his surprise, Kenichi's eyes were narrowing, and a scowl was forming upon his typically smiling lips.

"Murakumo, you do not have any right to speak to Nagato like that," he said, his voice a low growl. "She is your superior, and deserves the respect that any other superior would deserve."

Murakumo turned away from Kenichi, blushing with a scowl on her own face as she started to mumble. Sighing again, Kazuki decided that he would do his best to get through to this girl. He needed at least one more destroyer on his squad, and she was his last hope.

"Excuse me, Destroyer Murakumo," he started, trying to find the best way to relay his message without provoking the girl's hostility. "I'm here to perform clandestine operations for the navy. For that reason, a squad of Fleet Girls from this base is being put under my control. I want you to be a part of that squad."

Taking a calming breath, he hoped he didn't come across to hard, or too soft. He never knew if he had struck a balance or not, but he was sure that he could at least get his point across.

"And why do you want me to be a part of your squad?" Murakumo asked.

The hostility that she had shown towards Nagato no longer present, Kazuki wanted to pump his fist in victory.

"I believe that you are the destroyer that could best protect the other ships in the squad," he said. "With the skills that you have, I'm certain that you're the best choice for the squad. Capable of effective close combat, as well as a crack shot. You're everything that my squad needs in a protector."

At this point, Kazuki was aware that he was laying it on thick, but it seemed to be working as Murakumo perked up further and further.

"I'll do it," she said proudly. "But not for you… or anything."

Kazuki gave her a grin, before standing ramrod straight; as expected of an officer.

"Then I expect you to come to western docks for 21:00 hours tonight."

Murakumo nodded, before running out of the classroom, leaving only the admiral, Nagato, himself and Haguro.

"Umm…" Haguro started. "I'm sorry. I should have stopped her."

"There's nothing you could have done Haguro," Kenichi said. "She's been like this for months. I doubt that the sudden appearance of a new officer would have made her still her tongue. You have nothing to apologize for."

Haguro seemed to be mollified, but was still exhibiting clear signs of being uncomfortable.

"She seemed to respond well to my request," Kazuki finally cut in. "I thank you for providing me with the opportunity to speak with her. Hopefully, the time in my squadron will help prevent any of these outbursts from occurring again."

"Y…yes Captain Chiba," Haguro said. "I hope so a…as well."

"Wonderful, everything's better," Kenichi interceded, a beaming smile on his face. "Now, Kazuki, let's go get some food before we continue on. I think it would be best to introduce you to the rest of the camp at the mess hall. Coming Miss Haguro? Nagato?"

"Y…yes admiral!" Haguro nearly yelled.

"Right away," Nagato added.

Knowing full well that he wouldn't be able to get out of this, Kazuki sighed and waited for the others to exit the room before following. It was going to be a long day. He still had three members of his squad to determine and then brief them on the expectations of their new positions.

However, getting something to eat; that wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe it would reenergize him for the next wave Fleet Girls he had to meet. After all, he had yet to meet any of the light cruisers on Kenichi's base.

End Chapter 3

**A/N: And another chapter is done. I'm hoping that any readers of this story are enjoying, and I promise that the story is progressing ever forward. So, the next update shouldn't be too long from now. I hope that any readers do continue to follow the story, as we start to build up to the real meat of the story. So, until next time: **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 4**

Sendai let out a soft sigh as she watched the admiral and the newly appointed captain enter into the classroom for yet another group of light cruisers. Having followed them since they left the mess hall, she was eagerly anticipating the moment when she would be able to introduce herself and, hopefully, be chosen to join the captain's specialized fleet.

When the new captain had been introduced to everyone who happened to be in the mess hall at the time, Sendai was shocked to see that another officer had come to the base. It had been three months since the last officer had been sent here to attempt a new method of breaking the "stalemate" that was occurring with the Abyssal Fleets.

The last time that an officer had been there, they were attempting the "night battle operation" where they would attempt to strike down their foes at night, before anyone would even notice their presence. It was an operation that Sendai knew she was perfect for. As the, self-proclaimed, queen of night battles, there would have been no issues for her in this operation.

Heck, she was certain that it would be the prime opportunity for her to finally have a chance to be a flagship. As the eldest of the three sisters, she always seemed to be pushed aside for Jintsuu; who just so happened to be the most mature of the three of them. Many times she was even mistaken for being younger, despite her designation.

It made her quite indignant about the whole event. And even though none of them were chosen for the night battle fleet, Sendai still felt as if it was another loss to her younger sister. For that reason, she refused to let the captain out of her sight until she had a chance to impress him.

She wanted desperately to be useful. Once they entered the stalemate, it was usually only the carriers, battleships and heavy cruisers on the base who were sent out for battle. If she managed to get sent out, it was on expeditions that brought in a few more supplies than they would have initially had access to. And even then, she was rarely sent out on those either.

"So, next up is Tenryuu and Tatsuta. I'm certain one of them will fit your squad's requirements," the admiral said, forcing Sendai to hold her breath.

She didn't want to be caught yet. Not when she wasn't entirely certain of what she would do to impress the new captain. Sure, she had ideas, but nothing concrete. Not now, not now. Thankfully, they didn't seem to notice her hiding place in the bushes as they headed away from the classroom.

Slinking out behind them, she weighed the value of following them to Tatsuta and Tenryuu. While she had nothing against Tenryuu, other than the fact that the older girl was usually her superior whenever they were sent out, but Tatsuta was scary.

Sure, she appeared angelic, and rumours persisted that was how she had won over the northern admiral she had served under before, but it was her vicious overprotective nature that scared Sendai. While she was well aware that pretty much all of the sisters on the base were determined to protect one another, Tatsuta pushed it to the extreme. Instead of coming across like the others, she ended up appearing far more vicious and sadistic than her angelic appearance made her out to be.

And seeing that a new male on the base was going to be speaking to the two of them, well Sendai was certain that things would go downhill quickly. But it also provided her with an opportunity. When Tatsuta when ballistic, she could leap in and prevent the older girl from attacking him; it could be her perfect chance.

Settling on that course of action, Sendai made sure that she kept a suitable distance behind the admiral's party. She didn't want to be caught yet. That in and of itself probably wouldn't leave as good an impression on the captain as she desired. The last officer she had done that to ended up becoming furious with the admiral for the rest of his time on the base. Sendai feared that it would be the end of her, but was pleasantly surprised to find out that both the admiral and Miss Nagato had stood up for her. Granted, she was put on probation for three weeks after that.

"Admiral, what brings you here?" Tatsuta's voice pulled Sendai out of her thoughts.

As per usual, the girl was being relatively sweet with the admiral. Many of the girls on the base were sweet to him, despite the fact that he was very clear about his relationship with Miss Nagato. It amazed Sendai that he could even withstand all the attention that he was given, but it was definitely something that made her jealous. She wanted someone who would shower her with as much devotion and affection as the admiral did Miss Nagato.

"Oh, a new officer? It's a pleasure to meet you," Tatsuta spoke up again.

Returning her attention to the admiral's party and Tatsuta, Sendai felt her stomach plummet. It wasn't looking like she'd be needed here at all. So far Tatsuta was giving a positive first impression, almost as if she was trying to make sure that she didn't…

"Miss Tatsuta, would it be possible to speak to your sister as well. I wish to discuss the fleet that I will be commanding with her too," the new captain said.

Sendai felt a grin break out on her face as Tatsuta countenance darkened. The older girl was getting ready to go on the defensive, and her time to shine would come. She would get in there and stop Tatsuta before anything horrible could occur.

"Why do you need to speak to Tenryuu? She's a part of the admiral's expedition forces and a great asset in the acquisition of resources. That has nothing to do with you and your plans, right? I don't need to hurt you right?"

"Are you threatening me?" the captain asked.

"No not at all. I'm just making sure that you know that Tenryuu is under my protection."

Tatsuta was losing her act. Sounding demure and non-threatening, all the while subtly pushing the conversation in her favour with veiled threats and double-entendres, she could keep up a personality that seemed to match her angelic appearance. However, when people confronted her, the cracks started to show. Sendai was fond of watching this happen as the older girl consistently looked down upon her and any time that miss angel was shown up was good.

"I would appreciate talking to her; especially as I do outrank everyone on this base save for Admiral Kenichi," the captain said. "As such, I will not hesitate to turn this into an order, rather than a request."

"She's currently busy, _so don't make me force you away,_" Tatsuta said, her final words changing tone as she smiled wickedly.

Sendai forced herself into the proper crouch for a sprint. She would need to get in there soon if she wanted to help out the captain in time. Pushing off the ground, she burst from her hiding spot and started towards the admiral's party and Tatsuta.

She was halfway towards them, when the captain started speaking again, a chill running down Sendai's spine.

"I will take that as a threat to my person," he said. "And as such, I am arresting you for attempted assault on an officer."

At this point, Sendai saw another door open and Tenryuu come rushing out, a glare on her face.

"Tatsuta, what were you doing this time?" she demanded. "And why are you being arrested? Wait, is that even allowed?"

"It is," Nagato said. "By the rules instituted upon the start of the war, officers of captain rank or higher are allowed to place any soldiers who threaten their person under arrest."

"Tatsuta, why were you threatening the admiral?" Tenryuu questioned.

Sendai watched the scene as quietly as possible. She was out of her hiding spot now, and would definitely be noticed, but wasn't completely sure as to what she should do. While Tenryuu and the admiral discussed what had occurred, she tried looking for any indication of her next move.

"Excuse me, but may I speak to you while they finish their discussion?" a male voice questioned her.

Nearly leaping out of her skin, Sendai found herself face to face with the captain.

"Y…yes sir," she said quickly. "What do you wish to speak to me about?"

"You're a very clever girl aren't you?" he started, his facial features remaining solemn.

"Uh… y…yes sir," Sendai answered. "I would say so. The queen of night battles actually."

She felt her face heat up as she realized what she had just said. Sure she loved the fact that it was, almost, her title, but saying it to an officer that she was trying to impress with her maturity and reliability: that wouldn't do.

"Oh really?" the captain chuckled. "I'd like to see that then. Come to the western docks at 21:00 hours, I'm going to give you a chance to prove you're the queen of night battles then."

Sendai widened her eyes at his words. She hadn't expected this reaction to being caught sneaking, but she was sure that she wasn't going to blow it.

"Yes sir!" she saluted the captain.

"Good, I expect you there on time, and not hiding behind everyone else. Is that agreeable?"

Sendai nodded her head, excitement bubbling up inside her. She had been chosen. And while she didn't know how many others were going to be a part of this squad, she was certain that she would be a valuable asset.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," the captain said. "I think that Nagato has Tatsuta under control, and your admiral has Tenryuu under control. Now seems the best time to speak with them, eh?"

Sendai once again nodded her head, watching as the captain walked off towards the two light cruisers, the admiral and the secretary ship. He immediately started speaking to Tenryuu and she assumed that he was recruiting her as well. That or he was also trying to placate her over the arrest that her sister had been put under.

Whichever it was, Sendai didn't care. She was chosen to be a part of his squad; she was chosen and was even going to be given a chance to show off her skills. That night couldn't come soon enough.

End Chapter 4

**A/N: Now Sendai has had her first POV chapter since the prologue. As can, hopefully, be seen, she is relatively different from the character that was seen in the prologue. That's intentional as we've got three months to catch up on, and we'll swiftly be jumping into that progression within the next few chapters. So, I hope everyone who has been reading, and following (thanks for those by the way) are eager to see what's next. Until next time: **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 5**

Shioi was surprised to find others already waiting at the western docks. She was thirty minutes early, but that didn't stop her from discovering that both Sendai and Yahagi were already at the docks talking earnestly about something. Making her way over to them, she remained silent as the two finished off their conversation.

"Oh, Shioi, you're part of the squad too?" Sendai said immediately once her previous conversation had ended. "I didn't think we'd be seeing anyone other than destroyers or light cruisers in this squad. It's great to see you here."

"Umm," Shioi managed to say.

Sendai had always been a bit intimidating to the girl. She knew that she meant no harm, but the sheer energy that she exuded was difficult to keep up with. It made the situation uncomfortable, and quite nervous about how things would work out. It also made her fear that the captain may have also chosen Shimakaze to join the squad. If that destroyer was there, then Shioi was certain that she would have a difficult time here.

"It's alright Shioi, Sendai means no offense. If the captain decided upon you, then you're definitely right for this squad," Yahagi said sweetly.

Shioi was extremely happy that there was another light cruiser other than Sendai there. Yahagi was one of the more encouraging girls on the base, and was more than willing to go along with whatever her superior officer decided upon. At this point that was all that Shioi wanted.

She knew that it would be difficult, and was well prepared for that. She was probably going to be the youngest of the girls in this squad, but she wanted to make sure that she lived up to the captain's wishes. Being chosen couldn't have been a coincidence, and she wanted to make sure that it never turned out to be one.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Shioi," Sendai said, pulling Shioi back to reality. "I didn't mean to offend you. I've got to work on keeping my mouth shut instead of saying the first thing that comes to mind."

Chuckling lightly, the older girl rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"I…I accept," Shioi said.

She had no reason not to. So, Shioi felt it would be best to make sure that everyone stayed on pleasant terms with one another, rather than get embroiled in a conflict over an offhanded comment.

"So, what do you think the captain has planned for us?" Sendai asked, turning the subject away from her apparent lack of tact.

"I believe that he wants to test us," Shioi said, getting involved in the conversation. "I mean, he seems to have something in mind, but it also seems like it would be a test or something…"

"No need to be shy Shioi," Yahagi interceded as Shioi's words faded away. "You're probably right. He seems like one of those who would want to make sure of everything before sortieing us. Not like the admiral."

All three girls chuckled at the thought of the admiral's excitement at having them go out into the field as soon as they had arrived at the base. He was definitely an overeager one, Shioi was well aware of that, and was very glad that Nagato was able to rein him in. If it wasn't for her, more of the girls would be taking advantage of the docks at a more frequent pace.

"She is right," the captain's voice responded to Yahagi, and Shioi blushed wildly.

She hadn't realized that he was already there and quite possibly listening to what they had said.

"Admiral Sakata can be a bit of a handful, but he's got all of your best interests at heart. It's why I'm here after all," Captain Chiba said with a small smile.

Yahagi and Sendai squeaked in surprise of the captain's arrival, but managed to regain their composure relatively quickly. Shioi fought back a giggle at the older girl's reactions. They were exactly what she expected when she had made her initial assessment of the man. He was definitely a nobleman of some sort, she was certain of that.

"I'm glad to see the three of you here already. Punctuality is a very important trait for a Fleet Girl to have," he continued. "And the three of you are either extremely excited, or one of the most ready groups I have ever dealt with."

All three girls blushed at his compliment. While Sendai and Yahagi seemed to preen under his compliment, Shioi felt that it was nothing compared to being asked to be here. Whatever the captain was about to start them on, she was determined to not be a hindrance.

"Well, whichever it is, I'll be explaining everything once the others have shown up. So, make yourselves comfortable," the captain said, before sitting down cross-legged on the ground.

Shioi knew that the other girls were sharing her dumbfounded look as she watched the man. He was extremely relaxed and indifferent to the fact that he looked like a middle schooler. However, she soon started giggling at the sight. It was really funny to see someone who was supposed to be her superior acting like someone younger than her.

However, she didn't dwell on that too long as the captain's invitation was too good to pass up. Not needing to stand on attention in his presence, she settled down on the docks herself, feet dangling in the cool water. It was refreshing, seeing as Shioi always loved to be in the water, and allowed her to just relax before whatever they were tested on came to light.

"Oh, captain you're already here?"

Turning her head to see who had approached, Shioi was unsurprised to find that Tenryuu had shown up. Somehow she just knew that the captain would be adding her to their squad once she had seen Yahagi and Sendai. As the oldest light cruiser on the base, Tenryuu held a certain nature that made her the primary choice for a veteran in the fleet. Having had the pleasure to go out on a mission with her before, Shioi knew that the captain made a great choice. She would be a perfect flagship for the squad; if that's what was going on.

"Nice to see you Tenryuu, sorry about what happened with your sister," the captain said. "But I won't tolerate threats to my life like that. Not when it was that ridiculous."

Tenryuu chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Don't worry about it captain. Tatsuta… she tends to do things her own way anyway," the young woman said. "Hopefully we don't have to go through that again though. Nagato can be really scary when she's provoked."

The two continued to converse, and Shioi decided to return her attention to the ocean. She didn't need to listen in on what they were saying; she wasn't a part of the conversation after all. Instead, she watched as the light from the sun slowly disappeared. It wasn't surprising that they were doing this at night.

She had a feeling that it would be something like this. She knew that the admirals were adamant about figuring out how to make night battles the most effective manner of dealing with the abyssal ships. All of the submarines had been briefed on that matter a few months back, as I-58 and I-19 had both been chosen to participate in one of the test squads.

"Alright, everyone's here now, so let's get started."

Jumping up and into a ready stance at the sound of the captain's voice, Shioi noticed that Murakumo and Isokaze had also joined them.

'So, there are three light cruisers, two destroyers and me,' she thought as she looked over all of those gathered.

It was a weird layout for a night battle crew; there were no really heavy hitters among them. Shioi was now really confused as to what the captain was thinking.

"Alright, now that I've got everyone's attention," he said. "It's time that I reveal what you're all about to be part of."

From the corner of her eye, Shioi noticed Sendai twitching as if eager to ask a question.

"As you all know, the war is at a standstill, with neither side making any real progress towards victory," the captain continued. "I am here to do something about that. And that is also what you are all gathered here for. From now on, you are a clandestine fleet that no one, outside of me, the admiral and his secretary ship, will be able to know about."

Murmurs started from the other girls, and Shioi could still see that Sendai was practically bouncing in an attempt to ask her question.

"So, we can't talk about anything we do with the others?" Isokaze asked, drawing Shioi's attention to the girl.

"Correct," the captain said. "You're expected to keep any missions that you are sent on under wraps. No sharing what you've done and no sharing what you've seen without express permission from me or the admiral."

"B…but what about…" Isokaze attempted to continue.

"No exceptions," the captain said, his voice taking on the steely tone that Shioi had heard earlier in the day. "We are here to push this war towards an ending. You're all professionals, and I expect that to be upheld."

"Y…yes sir!" Isokaze said, saluting the captain as she did.

"Good, now before anyone else interrupts, I think you should all listen to what exactly you are expected to do," he said. "First, you will be undergoing extensive training as a unit. There will no longer be any training alongside your former peers. Instead, I'm expecting each of you to meet me here at 1000 hours each morning. It's later than you're probably all used to, but as we'll be working well into the night, I'm giving you a chance to rest. Second, each of you will be assigned specific roles within this fleet. I'm aiming to not need to replace any of you: at all."

Shioi felt a wave of comfort wash over her at the captain's words. It was always pleasant to meet someone who was interested in making sure that they didn't end up dead. Sure, other officers had the same intent, but it never truly felt the same. Captain Chiba actually seemed adamant about the fact that he wouldn't let any of them die. He seemed be repulsed by the mere thought of any of them being sunk in battle. Shioi had to admit that she liked that feeling.

"I've chosen each of you because I believe that you'll all be able to survive the missions that will be set before you. I'm expecting great things," Captain Chiba continued. "But tonight, we're going to start small. In light of the sorts of missions you'll be assigned to, I'm going to figure out what each of your roles will be."

Sendai seemed to be about ready to burst, Shioi noted, as the captain continued to lay out the details of the tests. Whatever question the girl had, she had yet to have it answered and she was literally bouncing; her hair bounding wildly with her movement.

"Captain!" she finally spoke up. "Captain, I have a question!"

The captain turned his attention to her, allowing her question. As soon as the she started to speak, Shioi knew exactly what Sendai had been so eager to find out.

"Who's going to be the flagship?"

End Chapter 5

**A/N: And that is the fifth chapter. Things are officially starting to move along now that the squad is together. But will everything go smoothly? That's the question that the next few chapters will focus on as we work quickly back to the events of the prologue. I hope that this story has been enjoyable so far, and thanks to all those who have reviewed, given a favourite or followed this story. Until next time: **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to KanColle. **

**Chapter 6**

Sendai glared at the other girls as they gathered into the base's operation room. Captain Chiba had informed them that their next meeting would be in this room before leaving them two nights before. After nearly six hours of training and tests, they still hadn't decided upon a flagship; and Sendai was certain that the other girls had sabotaged her chance to earn the position. Everyone kept bumping into each other, and no one was listening to anyone else. Only when Tenryuu had finally had enough, and snapped at them, had they finally fell into alignment.

However, even Tenryuu's command over the group hadn't seemed to be satisfactory to the captain. More than worrying about who would be the flagship, Sendai had a terrible feeling that they would be disbanded and the captain would move on to another base. It had happened before, especially when the smaller class of ship girls was chosen. More often than not, news of new styles of operations was followed by information on Admiral Fujisaki's Kongou sisters spearheading the new development.

"Do you think the captain's angry with us?" Shioi asked.

Turning her attention to the smallest girl in the group, Sendai was about to try and comfort her when the door to the control room opened.

"I am, but that's part of what we'll be talking about tonight," Captain Chiba said.

The captain was dressed as formally as ever and Sendai blushed as his eyes met hers. Although she was more focused on becoming a world renowned Fleet Girl, Sendai couldn't deny the fact that she felt butterflies in her stomach when the captain met her eyes. Unlike some of the other officers, he never seemed to leer at any of the girls. He treated them as professionals; something that they hadn't acted like when performing the tests.

Guilt filled her as she reflected on her actions. Rather than proving that she was qualified to be the flagship, she had just embarrassed herself in front of someone who believed that they actually were the professionals that the papers claimed they were.

"The tests were abysmal," the captain said, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "You were all embarrassing in your desire to hold the role of flagship and ruined the entire purpose of the tests. For that reason, I'll be assigning each of you your roles based upon your files. A less effective manner, but as there will be little time to hold further tests; we'll have to make this work."

He stopped to pull out a collection of manila folders from a box on the table in the middle of the room. Settling them in his arms, he opened the first one, before turning his attention to Tenryuu.

"Miss Tenryuu, you will be at the rear of all formations. I'm expecting you to take responsibility in making sure everyone makes it out alive," he said.

"Yes sir," Tenryuu replied, saluting sharply.

If Sendai was seeing the older girl correctly, she would swear that Tenryuu even seemed excited to be put into such a position. However, the fact that she wasn't the flagship meant that the role was going to one of the others, and Sendai had to stop herself from cheering. Despite everything that had happened, there was still a chance that she would be the flagship.

"Here is the list of equipment that you'll need. Once we're done here, I expect you to head out and switch up your gear immediately. That goes for all of you," the captain continued.

Putting what was obviously Tenryuu's folder onto the bottom of his pile, the captain switched to the next folder.

"Now, Miss Isokaze, your radar is invaluable, so you'll be responsible for keeping the squad up to date on enemy locations and formations. Here is your equipment list."

Passing Isokaze her list, the admiral continued through the others in the squad. Shioi was meant for first strikes, attacking before the enemy would even notice that she was there, while Yahagi and Murakumo were their primary gunners. By the time he opened up her folder, Sendai could have sworn that she was hyperventilating.

"And last, Miss Sendai, you're going to be our flagship. I'm expecting you to lead the squad safely through each mission that you're sent on. Do you think you can do that?"

All the sound that Sendai could manage as she received her equipment list was a squeak. She wasn't one of the more commonly sortied girls, but whatever was written in her folder had convinced the captain to name her the flagship. It was a thrilling feeling.

Forcing her attention onto the list of equipment that she needed, she felt an even greater thrill. While she wasn't expected to equip any torpedoes, the fact that the captain was expecting her to utilize star shells was interesting, and exciting. That single piece of equipment solidified the fact that they would be entering into night battles. Her realm of expertise would be right there for her to revel in. It wasn't often that her luck held out twice in a row, but today was definitely on her side.

"Now that your positions have been determined, we're going to move onto the next order of business: your uniforms."

Immediately the room burst into a cacophony of noise as the girls argued over the need to change their appearance. Instead of joining them, Sendai glanced over at the box that the captain had brought with him. It was definitely too big to have only been used for carrying their files. Craning her neck in an attempt to see what was in the box, she was startled once the captain yelled.

"Everyone quiet down!"

The captain hadn't even yelled during the testing when they had gotten out of control. His usually cold tone of voice, which had even managed to stun Tatsuta, had worked well enough for him before. So yelling had definitely managed to gain the attention of the occupants of the room. All arguments and murmurs died down, leaving the room quieter than it had been since they arrived.

"Now that everyone has stopped, I'd like to discuss the necessity of the change in uniform. I know that Admiral Sakata and all of the other admirals have let each of you retain your specific uniforms. Whether they were based on your class, or a personal fashion sense, I don't really care. I will be sending you out on some of the most dangerous missions that you could ever imagine, and for that reason, I want each of you to have as much protection as possible while out on the water."

As the captain spoke, he pulled out one of the uniforms from the box. As she took in its design, Sendai's eyes widened. Covered in splotches of numerous shades of blue, black and grey, the uniform was distinctly similar to the camouflage that she had heard was in use by many of the worlds' militaries. She wasn't the only one to catch onto what the captain was getting at either. Behind her, she could hear Tenryuu chuckling amusedly at the reveal.

"These uniforms will provide you with some cover on the open waters," Captain Chiba said. "The darker colours are meant to work alongside the fact that most of our missions will occur at night, and it should make you all harder to be identified by the enemy while you're out."

Isokaze and Yahagi immediately started to ask the captain questions, but Sendai was more interested in seeing the uniform in its entirety. Anything that gave her an advantage while out on the water at night would be a boon to her.

"Now, each of these uniforms has been marked with an icon indicating your role in the squad. Come find yours and proceed to get changed. Admiral Sakata wants to see you all in action, so I expect each of you to stay within your roles tonight," he said. "No fighting over commands, Miss Sendai is your flagship, so she makes the calls. If you disagree with her, feel free to make suggestions, but remember that it is her decision. Now you are all dismissed, meet at the docks in 90 minutes. Make sure to get your new equipment."

With that said, the captain turned and left the control room. However, Sendai had a question she wanted answered so she rushed to find her uniform in the collection of clothing that had been left behind for them. Quickly finding it, she gathered it all up and ran out the door.

Making her way through the halls of the command center, she found the captain just as he was about to exit.

"Captain Chiba," she called out.

"Miss Sendai, what do you need?" he asked, turning to face her.

"I wanted to ask a question," she said. "By your leave, I mean."

"Go ahead."

Sendai took a breath, although she was really excited about her role in the squad, she really wanted to know "Why did you choose me for the flagship?"

The captain chuckled as soon as she asked her question.

"I thought this would come up," he started. "You were all terrible a couple nights ago, there's no getting around that, but I needed a couple of you for very specific positions. Tenryuu, as the most experienced, would be the perfect guard for your escapes, and Shioi, as a submarine class, would be perfect for advance strikes. After that, it really came down to what I did see out on the water. Each of you were overly eager to prove that you were the right choice for the role of flagship, but you managed to do something that the others didn't. You were able to keep an eye on everything going on out in the water. Sure, it didn't end well for any of you, but I can see potential in you, more than with the others. You're quick, efficient and with more experience I have no doubt that you could lead this squad better than any of the others. That's why I chose you."

Sendai's face felt like it was on fire. She had been praised in the past, but never like this. Most of the time, it felt like platitudes meant to include her when her sisters had done something outstanding. For the praise to be directed at her for what she had done, it was thrilling.

"I'll do my best to live up to your expectations, sir," she said, saluting smartly as she did.

"I have no doubt Miss Sendai, now go change and get your new equipment. We don't have a lot of time for you to dawdle here with me. I need you setting an example for the rest of the girls, after all."

Sendai nodded enthusiastically, before turning around and rushing back to find an empty room. She would make sure that she set the example that Captain Chiba was looking for. She wouldn't waste this chance that she had been given.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

3 months later

Keeping her eyes on the Ta-class, Sendai strafed through the water. Her shells had connected, but it seemed that the Ta-class was even more heavily defended than she had expected. Thankfully, Captain Chiba's decision to have their uniforms changed was proving helpful. The limited light from the nighttime sky, and her darker clothing, allowed Sendai to keep just out of sight of the Abyssal ship.

'I'm going to make sure everyone else gets away,' she assured herself. 'It's not my job, but I'll do it anyway. Tenryuu will get them back to base, I know she will.'

Preparing to fire at her foe again, Sendai did a quick count of the ammunition she still had on her. She had enough shells to fire twelve more times, but that would only help if the Wo-class and the Nus didn't reach her first. It was rare that a Wo-class would attack at night, but that wouldn't stop the possibility of an attack. The fact that one was even out at night was a cause for concern. Had they managed to find some way to utilize their planes effectively at night? If so, the admiralty board would need to hear about this. In that sense, their mission would still be a success.

"Sendai, you're not dying on me out there," Captain Chiba's voice crackled to life over her earpiece. "Remember my promise, no one dies."

"You can't do anything about this sir," Sendai said, her eyes glued to the form of the Ta-class. "The others need to make it back. I'll make sure that they do."

Her voice wavered as she spoke. She was scared of dying and scared of leaving behind the captain. He had become a friend over the past few months. His refusal to accept anything less than excellence from any of them had inspired her, and she knew that she wanted to live up to what he believed about her; about all of them. It was why she was going to fight to the end here. She would show them all. She would show them that she was not someone to be messed with. Not when her friends' lives were on the line.

"Sendai, don't do this. You have an opportunity to get out of there and catch up to the others. Don't sacrifice yourself," the captain was calling out.

Sendai tuned out his words as she fired once again at the Ta-class. This time she managed to deal some heavy damage, as she saw her opponent recoil; smoke rising from her equipment. Grinning, Sendai strafed out of her foe's line of sight and prepared another shot. Just getting rid of the battleship would be something to talk about. She would have allowed her friends a chance to leave and she would…

Before her thoughts could finish, she felt the water around her burst, as well as a striking pain shoot through her right arm. Screaming, she tried to keep up her strafing, but she knew it was hopeless. The sound had alerted the Ta-class to her position, and she was certain she could see a smirk upon the Abyssal's face.

Growling in frustration, Sendai tried to lift her arm to aim another shot, but she could barely move it; a noticeable hole indicating where she had been shot. Glaring at her foe, she felt guilt for not being able to defeat the enemy. Hopefully the others had managed to get away. At least then she wouldn't feel like she had failed.

"No you don't! All guns, fire!"

A new voice entered Sendai's thoughts as she awaited her end. However, her end didn't come. Instead, the Abyssal was retreating as shells exploded in the water around it.

"Sendai!"

Turning to see whoever had called her, she was stunned to see that the others from her squad were there, alongside another fleet of girls that definitely weren't from their base.

"Sendai, stay calm, we're going to get you back to the base and all fixed up," Yahagi said as she came towards her. "You're bleeding heavily. Let's get you back home."

Home: that sounded great just about now. Closing her eyes, she allowed Yahagi to help her up. With the other girl's assistance, they started to make their way back to the base. Yeah, home definitely sounded great.

"Sendai? S…Sendai!"

End Chapter 6

**A/N: And we have now caught up to the prologue. The first arc of the story isn't over yet, there's going to be a little more timeline jumping in the next few chapters, but we're about to enter the next arc of the story – actual stealth missions and a build up to the investigation of the island mentioned in chapter 1. **

**Anyway, thanks to everyone who continues to read this story, and until next time:**

**Nanashi Wanderer**


End file.
